Three Words Unspoken
by Straya
Summary: G Gundam REVISED! With the 13th Fight over, George finds himself feeling without purpose, but a talk with Chibodee reveals he may need to finally go after the one who's always been there for him.


_Disclaimer: G Gundam and all related characters are copyright Bandai, Sotsu Agency, TV Asahi and Sunrise. This fic also contains some minor spoilers, so beware if you want to remain spoiler free! _

***REVISED VERSION***  
After completing "Rain and Roses" and then "Scarlet Promises", I came back to this story and revised it somewhat to make the continuity work out a bit better. While it has changed the essense of the story a little bit, I think it's now a bit stronger in that it not only gets George up to the point where he realizes his feelings for Maria Louise, but also lets him put his crush on Rain behind him. 

**"Three Words Unspoken"**

The headline read, "Neo-Japan Wins 13th Fight - Shuffle Alliance Prevents Full Scale War!" After glancing through the article for the tenth time since Raymond had given him the newspaper that morning, George de Sand set the periodical down on the cement and plaster barrier that encircled the balcony edge. The article itself had been based on interviews conducted with George and the others upon their return to Earth, following the near impossible battle with the Devil Gundam. General Karato had insisted that a celebration be held at the Neo-Japanese Embassy in Hong Kong, so all the Gundam Fighters had returned there. Twenty four hours had gone by since the Devil's defeat, and inside the main ball room behind the Neo-French fighter, the party was in full swing. 

George absent-mindedly swirled the champagne around a bit in his glass, gaze falling upon the photo that headed up the article. The entire Shuffle Alliance was there, along with Allenby, Karato and Professor Kasshu. Kiral, the Neo-Nepal fighter who had helped Allenby rally the other Gundam fighters to the task of distracting the Devil Gundam while the Shuffle battled it from the inside, had declined a place in the photo and vanished again. So typical. George, himself, was standing between Chibodee and Domon, who had Rain Mikamura on his other side, one arm around her and a broad smile on his face. A small smirk played across George's lips for a moment as noticed for the first time that Chibodee was holding up two fingers behind his head. Months ago, the fencer would have been angered by such a prank on the Neo-American's part, but they had long since become friends, and it was not by any means a malicious joke. Argo was next to Rain, Sai up on his shoulders. The pair of them were flashing "V" signs and smiling. No one would have expected such silly behavior from Argo at the start of the tournament, but like everyone else, he had changed for the better. George noted the grin on Domon's face in the photo, again, and turned to glance back inside where he, Rain and Chibodee were talking together near one of the tables. Rain looked absolutely stunning in the red dress she was wearing, and Domon seemed to think so, too, from the way he kept smiling at her. Both of them had experienced heavy losses, recently, but the fact that they were truly together, at long last, seemed to help chase their despair away. They were so very fortunate to have one another, and George couldn't help but feel happy for them...yet... 

No. That much had been settled. Despite London, despite Rain's fondness for him, the Jack of Diamonds knew that his internal, silent battle should be well over. It had been, after all, only a slim hope in the end. Rain was where she belonged. 

Turning back to the view of the setting sun off the wide balcony, George found himself sighing. For over a year, he had been thinking of almost nothing, except the tournament. He had trained years for the event, and each victory he had obtained brought him great joy and satisfaction. But now that the 13th Fight was over, what remained? He looked down at the Jack of Dimaonds symbol on his right hand. It was possible that part of his future would be dedicated to assisting the Shuffle Alliance in maintaining world and colonial peace. This idea seemed to lift his spirits a little, appealing to his sense of honor. The head of the Sand family glanced to his Gundam Rose where it stood, battle-scarred, alongside the other four in the main courtyard. Perhaps Rose would fight again, but the gaping holes in its shoulders where the Grand Master Gundam had impaled it only seemed to echo a growing feeling of emptiness inside George. It was then that he felt that somehow, it just wasn't enough. Even after gaining the title of Jack of Diamonds, he had still lost the Tournament. He had placed childish hopes on obtaining the love of someone that he should have known would never be his. He suddenly felt he had come so far, only to wind up at a dead end. 

*******

Princess Maria Louise wandered through the crowd inside the ball room, feeling a little frustrated. George had disappeared, again, as he had a tendency to do at these kinds of gatherings. She was never sure why this was, since had never really bothered to open himself up to her...and that just frustrated the young woman further. 

Finally, her gaze drifted across the closed glass doors that led out ot the balcony. There, his graceful form silhouetted by the setting sun, was George. Maria felt her eyes narrow a little as she realized that his head was turned in the direction of Gundam Rose. The Fight was long over, and he was still admiring that hunk of metal! 

This was simply too much. How could George do this after she had put so much on the line for him!? Men were so thickheaded, but this was unbelieavable. Even Domon, who had been so romantically inept, had finally gotten together with Rain. Maria felt her eyes starting to burn with tears, and pushed her way past yet more people to get to the doors and escape the ball room. 

*******

"So I figure I'll take a vacation and then get booked for another few matches," Chibodee said with a shrug as he uncapped another beer. "What about you two, eh? Going to get this lady of yours a ring, Domon?" 

The Neo-American smirked as Domon blushed slightly and glanced at Rain, who was also blushing. 

"Don't take too long of a vacation, Chibodee," the other replied after a moment, trying to avoid the subject of marriage. "You'll get out of shape!" 

"Stop avoiding the question!" the boxer almost laughed. "Come on, now... When, huh? You have to set a date, and invite everyone so we can have a party like this agai--" 

Someone bumped into Chibodee from behind, interrupting him and causing him to spill a little beer on his new shirt. He turned with a raised eyebrow to see a young woman with blonde hair, green eyes and wearing a long blue dress behind him. 

"Eh? Princess?" 

"Je suis vraiment désolé..." Maria Louise performed a curtsy and continued past without another word. 

Domon and Chibodee looked at one another in confusion. Neither of them knew any French, but they had both noticed that her voice had trembled as she spoke. Rain simply shook her head a little bit and set her glass of champagne down on the nearby table. 

"Say, where is George?" Chibodee suddenly questioned, glancing around. "Isn't he usually with the Princess?" 

"I think that's part of the problem," Rain replied before heading for the doors. "I'll be back in a few minutes." 

The Neo-American frowned, starting to glance around again. "Sounds like George screwed up something. Where is that stuck up snob hiding?" 

"Ah, out on the terrace," Domon answered, nodding towards the glass doors a little. "What do you think you're going to do about this?" 

"Straighten the young master out a bit, that's what." Chibodee grabbed another beer and walked off, heading for the balcony doors. "But don't worry. I'll go easy on 'im!" 

Domon couldn't help, but sigh just a bit. With Rain gone after the Princess and Chibodee after George, he was out of company. Shrugging, he decided he best keep his nose out of the business at hand, and went to join the table where his father was talking with Karato. 

*******

George traced the tip of one index finger along the lip of his glass for a few moments as the last rays of light vanished over the far horizon. Lifting the glass to his lips, he drank down what remained of the champagne and shut his eyes, thinking. His train of thought was interrupted, however, by the sound of the balcony doors swinging open and then shutting again. Glancing over one shoulder, he saw Chibodee walking towards him, a beer in each hand. 

"Hey, young master, have a beer." The boxer tossed the capped bottle to the Neo-Frenchman, who caught it in his free hand with a frown. 

"I don't care for beer, Chibodee," he began, but the other waved him off with one hand. 

"You're out of champagne, and the night's still young," Chibodee said with a sly smirk as he sat down on the barrier. "So what the hell are you doing out here, eh? Shouldn't you be inside, mingling and dancing with some of the ladies?" 

George sighed heavily and looked down at the beer. After a moment's hesitation, he set the champagne glass down and uncapped the beer, sipping at it a little and wrinkling his nose at the taste. "There is too much on my mind, mon ami. I simply need a little time to think things over." 

"What's to think over? Domon won the tournament, and the Devil Gundam is dead. This is supposed to be our vacation time before we go back to business as usual." 

"That's just it," George went on, picking up the newspaper and handing it to his friend. "All of this is over. Done with. Gone. You and I... We spent years training for this tournament, and now it is over. Where are we supposed to go from here? We spent so much time focusing on the Gundam Fight, that.... That...." 

"That what? We forgot about really living life?" Chibodee finished. "I dunno about you, but not me, young master. I still know how to have a good time. Maybe it's you who needs to loosen up a little bit." 

"You don't understand! It just seems that something is missing...." 

The Neo-American glanced over the article on the front page of the newspaper, examining the photo more than anything. "That Rain... She looks good, even if she's only wrapped up in Domon's cloak." 

Even though he fully agreed with the boxer, the head of the Sand family rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Women, beer and fighting... Is that ALL you ever think of?" 

"It's two more things than you think of, 'mon ami'." Chibodee drank down more beer and eyed the photo again. "That Princess of yours takes a nice picture, too, even in a damaged dress. Doesn't look too happy, though...." 

Tapping one finger against the side of the beer bottle in his hand, George suddenly felt guilty. He hadn't even looked enough into that picture, for as many times as he had examined it, to notice where exactly Maria Louise was standing. Had he really been so busy feeling sorry for himself that he'd forgotten the King's own daughter? Chibodee offered him the periodical again, and he set the beer down, taking the paper with some hesitation before looking at it to see that the Princess was backed off in one corner, alongside some others, but away from the Shuffle Alliance. Her expression was somewhat difficult to read, but it seemed somewhere between disappointment and longing. George's stomach rolled over on itself as he reached up and touched his right cheek without even thinking. 

"She kissed ya, didn't she?" Chibodee's tone had softened somewhat. The red haired fighter looked at him with some surprise, but the American shrugged very slightly and continued. "When was this? And what'd you do about it?" 

"On the way back, after we defeated the Devil Gundam.... She kissed me on the cheek, and I did not know quite what to do." 

"How could you not know? I thought you were French!" 

George blushed a little, embarassed. "That does not mean I know what I am doing in regards to--" 

He stopped there, realizing that he had just given himself away, completely. Chibodee waited a moment, then nodded. "In regards to what?" 

"I... I am not like you, Chibodee," George finally continued, feeling more than a little uneasy. Feeling foolish, he struggled to make what would probably sound like a lame excuse for his own ineptitude. "I do not have much experience in dealing with women...intimately..." 

"Explains why you're floundering around like a fish outta water." Chibodee got up and walked over, placing one hand on his comrade's shoulder. "You just gotta act before it's too late. Hell, you've already missed a lot of chances, and now that the Fight's over, you got time." 

Missed a lot of chances? Had he been so blind? The Neo-French fighter remained silent for several minutes, thinking it over. He was afraid to try, but fearful that if he didn't, he would lose the chance to act at all. The Princess had never failed to support him in all his endeavors. Even when the King had refused to let him duel with Domon, she had tried to stick up for him. And like Natasha, Raymond and the others, she had risked her life to help George when everything was on the line. Guilt pierced the knight's heart. 

"She's still young, so ya gotta be careful with her, still," Chibodee advised, voice low. "But I think she loves ya, George. She's a sweet young lady, and it'd be a crime for you to let her go after everything we've all gone through." 

The Neo-French fighter struggled with himself. Would he only be taking an interest because Maria was the next best thing? Second to Rain? No... He refused to allow the situation to progress if that's how it was going to be; he wouldn't lie to her.... He wouldn't lie to himself. Yet, he had to know how she felt. Perhaps if he knew, then he would also know where he stood? Trying to seperate duty from deeper feelings only seemed to cause him further confusion. 

George touched the newspaper photo with one finger, the tip of it running alongside the face of the Princess as he responded, the volume of his own voice low. "Oui, mon ami.... Do you know where she is?" 

*******

"Princess Maria Louise!" 

Rain hurried down the embassy hallways after the Neo-French Princess, who had a good headstart on her, but seemed to be slowing up as she got down to the main entrance. This whole mess with George and Maria had really gone far enough, and Rain was not about to let things fall apart before they could even fully begin. 

As Maria Louise got to the doors, she saw her driver was outside in the limosine, reading. Glancing back over one shoulder, she saw that Rain had nearly caught up to her. One hand on the door bar, the young woman paused, still fighting back tears, but feeling as though she at least owed it to Rain to wait up just a moment. 

"Princess," Rain breathed as she caught up, stopping just short of the doors, "where are you going?" 

"Back to the Neo-French dorms," the young lady responded, fighting to keep her voice steady. "I... I don't feel well." 

"If you need a doctor, I can--" 

"No! ....no," Maria Louise interrupted, cutting Rain off. "It's not what you think... I just need to go. I need to go back to the colonies where I belong." 

Rain felt her heart sink. She had been worried that it had come to this, although she had dearly hoped it hadn't. "This is about George, isn't it...?" 

Maria Louise was silent for several long moments before a tear slipped down one cheek. "...I have spent so much time longing for him, and he still ignores me. I thought when the tournament was over, I would finally have my chance, but he still looks at me through cold eyes..." 

"I don't think that's true.... How could it be??" 

"Ask him yourself, the next time you see him staring at that stupid Gundam of his!" 

With that, the Princess pushed the doors open and retreated outside to the waiting limo. Rain could only stand and watch as the vehicle pulled out and left, feeling rather heartbroken herself over the whole ordeal. As the limousine vanished from sight completely, she turned and headed back to the ballroom, wondering how she was to explain this to George. 

*******

"You say she left the ball room already?" George questioned as he and Chibodee walked back inside, heading for the table where Domon and his father were sitting. 

"That's the reason I went outside to bug you in the first place," his friend responded, beer still in hand. "I figured you oughta get some interest in the girl so you could be a proper knight and go the hell after her." 

The Neo-French fighter rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, suddenly feeling nervous about that idea. "I just hope I am up to this." 

"Stop worrying, and just let your heart do your talking for you," Chibodee half growled, sounding just a tad frustrated. 

"Welcome back to the party, George." Domon nodded to his fellow fighter where he sat at the round table, near Professor Kasshu. 

"I should have never left it in the first place," George sighed. "Chibodee has convinced me that I need to find Maria Louise...as she has now wandered off..." 

"More like run off, George." 

Rain approached the table, wearing a sympathtic expression. 

The head of the de Sand family blinked a moment in surprise. "Run off?" 

"I caught up with her down by the embassy entrance," Rain explained, shaking her head. "She's heading back to the Neo-French dorms; she just wants to go home to the colonies, now...." 

"A disagreement about something, I take it?" Domon's father inquired, folding his hands together on the table top. 

"Nah, it's that George here is a fool when it comes to women," Chibodee sighed, frowning at his friend, who looked completely embarassed. "But don't feel too bad, young master. We all have to start somewhere. What you have to do now is go after her." 

"But if she's left the embassy, she's taken the driver and vehicle that we arrived with," George reminded him. 

"I hope that's not an excuse, young man." Professor Kasshu eyed the red haired fencer through understanding eyes. He allowed a bit a gentle smile to creep through through his expression. "If you love her, you shouldn't hesitate to tell her so. You never know when time's going to run out." 

"Tch, even Domon knows that!" Chibodee exclaimed. 

Both Domon and Rain blinked indignantly, responding simultaneously. "Chibodee!" 

"Alright, sorry!" the Neo-American replied quickly, waving both hands at them. "The important thing now is that George has to get to his lady, eh? He's got no car and no driver, and he can't take his Gundam. Hey, Domon... You left that horse of yours outside in a fenced in section of the courtyard, didn't ya?" 

"He has a name, Chibodee.... Fuunsaiki," the winner of the 13th Fight replied, arching one eyebrow. "Why?" 

The boxer snapped his fingers, grinning. "That's it, then! George can ride Fuunsaiki back to the Neo-French dorms!" 

"Ride? But that horse barely knows me!" George exclaimed. 

Domon smirked, almost amused by his fellow fighter's reluctance to ride. "I thought you would have had experience in riding? Just tell Fuunsaiki that you have my permission to ride him, and go." 

"Come on, George! It's so classic! Like a knight riding a white horse to see his fair lady," Chibodee went on, patting the other on the back. "It's a very romantic idea, isn't it, Rain? And George here would cut such a dashing figure on Fuunsaiki!" 

Rain smiled a little as she looked at the nervous Frenchman. It was easy to see that it wasn't really riding a horse that put butterflies in his stomach. "Chibodee's right.... The Princess is concerned that you have no interest in her. You have to show her how much you care by going out of your way to reach her, now. Not later tonight. Not tomorrow. You need to go to her and be with her." 

"Just stop for a minute and think, young man, not about everything you've spent the past year doing, but about who was there alongside you through all your trials and tribulations," Professor Kasshu suggested gently. "How do you really feel about this young lady that's run off? Forget about being formal and watching your every move, and think about it." 

George exhaled slowly, and thought back to the young woman who had been tailing him around for almost as long as he could remember. She was a few years younger than he was, and although she could be troublesome when it came to wanting attention, she had only ever fought for such attentions from him. He thought about the adoration in her lovely green eyes everytime she looked his way, and realized that he had almost always returned that look of affection with the same sort of sterile and almost cold expression that a bodyguard would wear. Yet, whenever she had been in peril, he had felt his stomach twisting in fear. Now, his heart was beating up in his throat, almost choking him. 

He risked a quick glance in Rain's direction, and saw her nod. From the look on her face, it was if she had known that it would eventually come to this, and George remembered her confidence that he would soon find someone meant for him. 

"Out in the courtyard, you say?" he finally asked Domon, who nodded. "Alright... And thank you, my friends." 

Turning on his heel, George hurried out of the ball room and downstairs. Chibodee shrugged and shook his head a little. 

"He'll be alright," Professor Kasshu assured them with a warm smile. "And I suspect they'll both be staying away from the party for the rest of the night." 

*******

Sobbing quietly, Maria Louise lay on her bed in the dorms. The sun had long since set, but she had not bothered to turn on any of the lights in her room. The only light cast into the richly decorated suite streamed in through the open balcony doors in the form of pale moonlight. As the young woman lay on her stomach on her four poster bed, still wearing her dress, she raised her head from her dampened pillow to see the small framed photo of George she had brought with her from the colonies, sitting on the bedside table. Everything about him was so distinguished, and so perfect, but at that moment, she felt like reaching out and pushing the photo and frame face down on the table top. 

"George...." Her voice came out in a small whisper as she gazed at the photo. "You hardly ever seem to notice me... I've tried everything. It just hurts so much to feel this way, and see that in the end, you don't seem to really care...." 

Laying her head down again on the pillow, she let out a shakey sigh. She would ask her father about going home tomorrow. George could stay behind if he wanted, and spend yet more time with the other fighters. Maria Louise wanted to believe that she didn't care if he did or not, but despite an effort to harden her heart against the fencer, she found herself unable to think of leaving his side without feeling pain in return. 

A distant clicking caught her attention, suddenly. She hadn't noticed it before, and wondered if she was just now hearing the ticking of the clock hanging on the wall in her room. Sitting up, she turned to look at the antique piece, but it was too far away to hear the ticking, and the clicking was getting louder, and wasn't coming at regular intervals. The Princess sat and listened for several moments as it became louder, and realized that it was the sound of hooves on pavement. Getting up, she walked to the balcony doors and opened them to step outside just as a horse and rider came rushing through the gates and towards the grassy garden below her terrace. Both rider and mount looked almost like ghosts in the moonlight; the horse was pure white and its rider was wearing nearly all white, as well, but his hair was a striking reddish-orange in color. 

"George?" she whispered, watching as the horse came to a halt in the garden below, the rider looking up at her through violet eyes. 

*******

The Jack of Diamonds looked up to see Princess Maria Louise standing on her balcony, gazing down at him. Yet, while her expression was surprised, he also detected an underlying sorrow in her. He tried to swallow his heart down out of his throat, and dismounted, pausing only to pull a single red rose from a nearby bush before heading to a growth of ivy that reached up to the side of the terrace. 

"Just like a knight coming to his maiden's rescue," he tried to remind himself silently as he put the rose's stem between his teeth and grabbed a hold of the ivy, climbing up. "This will be a moment of truth... You lost the Gundam Fight, George de Sand, but you still came away as a hero. Fail here, and not knowing the truth may cause you to return home a lonely man." 

As he came up over the balcony ledge and planted his boots firmly on the tiles on the other side, he noticed that Maria Louise was watching him through tear filled eyes. Guilt pierced him, yet again, and he paused as he took the rose in one hand. 

"...George..." 

Her voice was so tiny, almost inaudible. The tone was pleading, and shakey, as though it would break at any given moment. He stepped towards her, a lump forming in the back of his throat. 

"Princess Maria Louise...." 

Then she was rushing towards him. He barely had time to blink before she had thrown her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. Taken aback, he held his arms off to the side for a moment, not sure how to react. But then the sound of her sobbing seemed to seep through his usual outer defenses, and without giving it much thought, he put his arms around her and embraced her. George placed one hand on the back of her head, lightly, and let her weep. She hugged him tighter still and shuddered, her smaller body shaking with grief. 

"Please tell me...that you really did come for me..." 

"Yes, Princess, I did..." 

Pulling back, Maria looked up at him with a tear stained face, her voice shaking as she spoke. "For once, just stop calling me that! Just drop all the formalities, because I can't take this anymore!" 

"I.... I am sorry..." Not sure what else to say to her, he tried to think, but his mind was in a whirl. His heart was throbbing up in his throat, and his stomach had shrunk up into a little ball in the pit of his gut. 

"Just for once.... Just pretend that I'm not the King's daughter, and that you aren't the Jack of Diamonds, or Neo-France's champion, or anything.... Forget all of that for just a minute and tell me how you feel." More tears streamed down the side of her face as she let go of him, completely. "I've always followed you, George, but you always push me away.... Please tell me what's in your heart, so I can stop hurting!" 

George was stunned. He stared at her, unable to think of exactly what to say. His composure fell to pieces there on the balcony, the rose falling from his hand. 

"Tell me.... Please...." Her voice had softened to a whisper as she placed one hand on his chest, watching him through sorrow filled eyes. 

"Maria...." George's voice caught in his throat as he tried to speak. Looking into her eyes, he saw the young woman who had risked her life for him without a second thought. She was so strong, but the very idea that he had no true feelings for her was crushing her. 

George searched himself, trying to fully understand his own feelings for the young woman. What would life have been like during the Fight, if not for her? Things would have been more difficult, especially in dealing with the King, but he suddenly realized that all those times he had claimed victory, he had been glad to see her smile at him, proud of his achievement. And it gave him a feeling totally different from seeing His Majesty nod at him for a job well done. No, that smile of hers had always made him feel appreciated for who he was.... So often, he had fought with the idea that his victories brought honor and glory to his country and his family name. Still, it wasn't enough to satisfy his pride as a warrior. George had hijacked his own gundam and challenged Domon, despite the King's orders to forfeit the fight. He could have been tried for treason, but even in that desperate time, the Princess still supported him. Yes, she had feared he would be arrested and everything they had worked for lost, but not in the same way her father saw it. The King had been more concerned with the consequences as related to all of Neo-France, while Maria Louise had been worried for George as a person. As a friend. As a companion. 

Tears rolled down the sides of his face as he realized that she had always wanted him to succeed as himself, and not just as some tool of Neo-France. Maria Louise understood him better than he thought, and he cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. Here, he had maintained inner affections for another woman, and now, the truth made his heart ache. All those times he had felt like crawling into a hole because of his past, or because of his shortcomings, he could have turned to her instead, and while she would have offered him sympathy, it would not have been pity. She loved him unconditionally, and it made her purity of heart shine. George knew then that she had been the one he had really been longing for. 

"I am so sorry...." His voice cracked as he spoke, but it didn't stop him from pulling her into an embrace. Eyes closing he held onto her, his head came to rest against hers as he felt her arms wrap around him again. The words tumbled forth, and he tried not to choke on them, hoping they would make sense at all. "I did not even think...that... I... I did not see.... ....I have been so blind, so selfish...." 

Maria Louise loosened her grip a moment, and reached up with one hand, brushing aside his tears. The knight opened his eyes, and saw a small smile appear on her face. It was one of both relief, and of affection. She had already forgiven him. 

Words failed him. There was simply too much he wanted to say, and even those three little words didn't seem to be enough. Instead, he simply leaned forward and kissed her, one hand straying to the her cheek and brushing up against her skin. George had never kissed a woman in such a way, before, but the sensation of her soft lips brushing against his was so reassuring. The young woman leaned towards him with her own eyes closed, lengthening their kiss. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered that this was the Princess of Neo-France that he was kissing. But somehow, whether or not her father approved just didn't matter at the moment. George lost track of time, his hand brushing back over her hair and down onto her back. Being with Maria Louise filled that emptiness inside of him; it reminded him that he still had purpose, and that someone needed him for the person he was, and not for his status or his ability as a fighter. 

The Princess leaned in as close as she was able, enjoying the close company and the contact of the man she so dearly loved. He didn't have to say anything more to her. She could feel him trembling just a little, and his face was still wet with tears; the salty essence still lingering on the corners of his mouth. Bringing one hand up, she found his free hand, and their fingers became intertwined. 

Finally, George broke their kiss, although with some hesitation. Eyes opening, he gazed down at her, his hand moving from her back to her shoulder, and sliding down her arm to her hand. Both his hands in hers, he exhaled slowly, and managed to say what he felt he should have said long ago. 

"Maria... Would you do me the honor...of staying by my side...?" 

Her gentle smile spoke volumes, even though her answer was a simple nod and but a few soft spoken words. "My heart has always been yours, George..." 

He smiled in return, and kissed her forehead lovingly. 

Off in the distance near the embassy, the sky was lighting up with bright bursts of colored light. The fireworks show had begun, and even at that distance, the pair could easily make out the showers of sparks as they rained down from the sky. The pair turned to watch for a few moments before the Jack of Diamonds bent down and picked up the fallen rose. George turned back to the Princess, pulling off what few thorns there were upon the stem. He tucked it behind her right ear, and she took his hand in hers, once more. 

"Do you wish to go back to the party?" she asked as he glanced up at the fireworks a moment. 

"Non." George smiled, and looked back at her, giving her hand a light squeeze. "It's a celebration that closes one chapter of our lives, and begins another... And my new beginning is here, with you." 

The fireworks continued, casting lights of all hues over the city. And as the pair stood and watched, they both knew that while the Fight had ended, and they did not know just what lay ahead, they would face the future together. 

_Original Author's Notes: Whew! This fic actually took some time to finish, despite how short it actually is. For a long time, I got hung up on how to explain George's love for Maria Louise. It's one of those things that you know is there, but it's not quite so easy to translate into words. Then, I couldn't think of a title for the whole fic! I ended up choosing "Three Words Unspoken" because I wanted to try and get through the whole thing without having either of the two featured characters actually say, "I love you." More than anything, I wanted their actions and emotions to convey their feelings so strongly that, in the end, neither would find it necessary to use those words. And while they did kiss and do a little touching, I wanted their love to be mostly focused on one another for who they are, and not on physical attraction. I'm overall very pleased with this fic, and I hope you enjoyed reading it._


End file.
